"The July Effect" Haunts Hospitals and Patients Year After Year

Historically, it has been believed that the month of July sees more doctor errors resulting in patient deaths than any other month of the year. This has been attributed, correctly or not, to the large influx of new medical students who begin their residency placements every July. Inexperienced new residents are infamous for making mistakes as they struggle to adjust to their new jobs, which often call for long shifts. On July 5, 2010, National Public Radio's Michele Norris interviewed Professor David Phillips of UC San Diego about the legendary "July Effect" and whether there is any truth to it.

Professor Phillips recently finished conducting a study and concluded that a "July Effect" actually does exist. He looked at 250,000 medication error deaths from 1979 to 2006 and found, in counties with teaching hospitals, a significant spike in those that occurred in the month of July. Specifically, over the years, medication errors spiked by ten percent above expected percentiles in the months of July in counties with teaching hospitals; no such spike was observed in counties without teaching hospitals. Furthermore, there was no equivalent spike in deaths outside the hospital, or in deaths from other causes during July.

The study is alarming for patients and their families. Professor Phillips suggests several things individuals can do to prevent themselves or their loved ones from becoming a victim of a medication error in a teaching hospital. First, if you need a treatment or a procedure that is not urgent, instead of July, you might consider going into the hospital in August, when the rate of medication error deaths appears to return to normal. Second, if you must be treated in July, Professor Phillips suggests that you "firmly and assertively and politely ask medical staff to double-check on the medicines and the dosages that are being provided." If you are unable to do that, ask an advocate – such as a friend or relative – to come with you and check the medication on your behalf.

According to Professor Phillips, improved safety could be obtained in teaching hospitals in several ways. First and foremost, residents and their supervisors, as well as other staff, should be notified about the findings of the study so that they can increase their vigilance against medication deaths in July. Further, the professor notes that residents may benefit from increased support as they begin their work. He explains that surgical residents, unlike medical residents, work with a team; and there is no documented spike in surgical deaths in July despite the fact that new surgical residents are beginning their jobs during this time as well.

If you believe that you or a loved one may have been the victim of a medication error or any other type of hospital error or medical negligence, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. At Paulsen & Armitage, LLC, our attorneys fight for the rights of injured people, seeking the maximum monetary damages available to compensate our clients for the harm they have suffered at the hands of inexperienced or incompetent doctors. To learn more, contact Paulsen & Armitage, LLC today.